A Toyota Levio LPE 220 powered pallet truck, modified to operate on hydrogen power, has been delivered to the MIRA Technology Institute’s (MTI) training facility in the English Midlands as a hydrogen training tool for courses.

Toyota explains MTI is a training facility where engineers and technicians are taught essential specialist skills to keep pace with innovations in the global automative industry and has an explicit goal of becoming a hydrogen training centre of excellence.

The 2.2 tonne capacity Levio LPE 220 is usually powered by a lead acid or lithium-ion battery but, to meet the MTI’s sustainability plans and double up as a new hydrogen training demo tool for courses, the truck was ordered and fitted with a hydrogen fuel cell.

Phil Tunney, Toyota Material Handling’s hydrogen product manager, explains Toyota has two decades experience working with hydrogen power. 

“With operators of some very large materials handling equipment fleets, keen to embrace the productivity and sustainability benefits hydrogen technology can deliver, we are anticipating a big up-take of hydrogen-powered trucks in the UK logistics industry,” Tunney adds.